On Thursday 12 November 2026, the Lebanese Parliament adopted the draft law authorizing the military financial cooperation agreement and the support protocol between Lebanon and Turkey, transmitted by Decree No. 1149. The vote in plenary takes a separate step from the approvals already obtained in committee. The texts provide for a main envelope of 100 million Turkish pounds and a separate protocol of 3.5 million Turkish pounds. They do not allow to announce a delivery already made.
The signatures date back to 24 May 2022 in Beirut and 4 January 2023 in Ankara. The Order in Council, dated September 10, 2025, does not therefore correspond to a new agreement signed that year. Parliamentary adoption was reported on 12 November at 11.24 a.m. Beirut time; This is the time of publication of the information, not the exact time of the vote. The promulgation, publication in the Official Journal and fulfilment of diplomatic notifications remain to be distinguished from the announced vote.
Turkish military aid to Lebanon: two envelopes
The main agreement establishes a framework of 100 million Turkish pounds for goods and services for military use. The contribution must be made available progressively over several years according to Turkish legislation and annual budgetary appropriations. This is not a payment that is freely usable by the Lebanese Treasury.
The text gives priority to Turkish national companies and bodies based on entirely local production. Projects funded must follow procedures agreed between the two governments. The Lebanese Ministry of Defence and the Turkish Ministry of National Defence enforce the agreement. Embassies and their military attachés serve as contact points.
Another aspect of the 3.5 million Turkish Pound protocol is expenditure on training, courses and visits. Its preamble mentions the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Internal Security Forces, the General Security and State Security. Depending on the eligible activities, support can cover transportation, accommodation, living and training costs. Some programmes reported as particularly costly by the Turkish side are excluded.
Both amounts are expressed in Turkish lira in the texts. A dollar conversion would depend on a specific date and exchange rate. Presenting them as guaranteed dollars today would therefore be misleading. The envelopes also do not prove that all the appropriations have already been mobilised or spent.
Requirements to be notified and appropriations to be used
The main agreement requires Lebanon to forward its priority proposals after entry into force. They must describe the needs and technical characteristics of the project. The Lebanese authorities then update their proposals before the end of January. The Turkish side shall notify each year the amount allocated and the projects to which it relates.
The five-year deadline does not mean that all funding comes immediately. The text provides for five years to use an allowance from the date of notification. Unused sums at the end of this period cease to be available for Lebanon and remain available to Turkey.
The mechanism also distinguishes receipt and payment. The Lebanese authorities must confirm, through diplomatic channels, a full and consistent delivery in accordance with the contractual conditions and verifications provided for. If a purchase exceeds the authorized allowance, the agreement does not require Ankara to cover the supplement. The excess is the responsibility of the Lebanese side.
The training protocol also organises a gradual allocation and an annual notification of uses. It provides for the use of support through an account under the Turkish military attaché in Lebanon. This framework therefore differs from general budget aid or a loan that Beirut would have without allocation.
Equipment cannot be freely transferred
The main text subjects the withdrawal of assets from the inventory to prior written authorisation from Turkey. It also prohibits their transfer, or the transfer of their right of use, to another State or to a third party without written agreement. These provisions govern the destination of the funds financed after they are received.
The Agreement recalls that its provisions should not affect the parties’ international obligations. It excludes their use against the interests, security or territorial integrity of other States. A clause protects classified information exchanged in this context, including after the end of the agreement.
The initial period provided for shall be five years from the date of entry into force, with annual renewals unless notice of termination is given. The complete exhaustion of the envelope also ends the device. Both texts provide for the settlement of disputes through diplomatic negotiations, without recourse to a third party or international jurisdiction in their own mechanism.
Committees to vote on 12 November
The Foreign Affairs Committee approved the draft on 25 September 2025. The Defence Act was adopted on 16 October 2025. The report signed by its chairman, Jihad Samad, confirms this date. This is not a decision taken in October 2026.
The Finance and Budget Committee took place on 14 September 2026, chaired by Ibrahim Kanaan. Yassine Jaber, Minister of Finance, and Michel Menassa, Minister of Defence, participated in the session. Its report indicates unanimous approval of the members present, without modification of the draft submitted.
Michel Menassa presented the scheme as support for equipment and training. However, this political presentation does not replace the conditions laid down in the instruments. These provide for entry into force upon receipt of the last diplomatic notification confirming the completion of the internal procedures of each party. The adoption of 12 November therefore does not in itself prove that these notifications have been completed. Publication in the Official Journal and financial execution are not established by the dispatch announcing the vote.
Lebanese military and armoured personnel, archival photograph published in February 2025. It does not represent Turkish delivery or equipment financed by this agreement. Photo: Lebanese Army, direction of Orientation / Image Bank Libnanews. Libnanews editorial dress, entire photograph preserved.
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